Paris Talks: 11 Things You Must Bring On The Conference Day!

With Paris Talks quickly approaching, you might be wondering what you should take with you to Paris Talks. No worries - we’re here to help! We’ve made a list of eleven essential things that everyone should be equipped with for the conference.

1. A bit of confidence

Spending a full day at a relatively large conference can be intimidating. That’s simply because you may not know those around you, and it takes courage to walk up to a total stranger and introduce yourself. Paris Talks attendees are equipped with a warm and friendly spirit, but, as you know, that awkwardness in the beginning of a conversation can sometimes be difficult to overcome.

In a situation like this, we highly recommend building up your confidence using lessons from Keenya Hofmaier’s insightful new book, 30-Day Connect. Put what you learned in practice by approaching others or using your sense of humour to get the conversation started! All it takes is a few seconds standing in your favorite “power pose” and you will be ready to face the world...or Paris Talks with ease and confidence.

2. An open mind

Well, technically this isn’t something you can really pack, but we hope that you agree that it is the most important thing at an event such as Paris Talks. To get the most out of your experience, you will need to embrace all the crazy, disruptive, innovative, surprising and downright jaw-dropping ideas you’ll come across.

At Paris Talks, your current and Future world view will be repeatedly challenged. The impact of listening to speakers share their unique ideas on the Future of Humanity is an unparalleled experience.

3. A Notebook

Have you ever attended a conference and seen so many of your peers nodding along without taking any notes. It’s as if they already know everything? Well, at Paris Talks we believe, if you aren't taking notes, you aren't learning. We may be wrong or “old-school”, but we strongly believe that great leaders are never too proud to learn. No matter how you decide to take notes, take them and continue to learn from them.

4. Some Vulnerability

One of the Paris Talks curation team members has a t-shirt that reads "Vulnerability is Sexy". She usually wears it as a reminder to be open and sincere with others. Attending conferences can be intimidating. For some people it usually takes a while to warm up to others, but the more vulnerable you are in expressing your thoughts and feelings, the more you can connect with others having the same experience. So bring your vulnerability with you to Paris Talks, and be fully present with others.

5. A smartphone or tablet

We connect with people immediately via LinkedIn and skip the business cards whenever we can. It's actually a lot easier and the immediate connection makes it far more effective for generating follow-up conversations.

6. Attendee and speaker profiles

Do your research ahead of time and bring a list of people you want to speak to or connect with. As a Paris Talks attendee, you’ll have access to the attendee list (via our networking app) well in advance of the conference. You should be proactive with the list in order to maximize your time. Do some light Internet research on the attendees and speakers beforehand and seek them out for conversation.

7. Mints to Share

In our experience, mints are great icebreakers (and sometimes genuinely needed!). Don’t be afraid to ask or to offer :)

8. A friend or colleague

Michael always goes with someone else from the curation team when he’s invited to events. Business cards are just paper; another person is a voice and personality. We can cover more territory together, hold twice as many conversations and double the impact of our presence at the event. Look around you and invite one or two of your knowledge-seeking-futurist friends. We guarantee that they’ll love you even more for the intellectual adventure they will experience at Paris Talks.

9. Business cards

Don’t forget your business cards — and have them somewhere accessible. Even though a business card sometimes feels a bit antiquated, don’t forget to replenish your supply before coming to Paris Talks to avoid missing a connection later.

10. A sweater

What’s hot and cold is relative — so dress in layers for the event. A wrap or sweater is a great option for a day event like Paris Talks.

11. Your Paris Talks Conference Ticket + Identification Document

If you have purchased a ticket, please remember that you must show your digital ticket and government-issued photo ID to enter the conference venue. If you do not have these two items for registration, you will not be admitted into the venue. There will be designated registration areas for speakers, partners, sponsors, donors, media, and attendees.

Have we left anything out? Please let us know by mentioning it in the comment section below. Merci!